Obituary for William Jack Beitzel
William Beitzel
February 28th, 2001 - March 24th, 2022
Our beautiful, smart, funny, adrenaline-filled, life-loving son has gone. The mountains were his grounding point; his zen; his peace. He refused to consider any future that was not close or near The Rockies. Downhill riding, mountain biking, skiing the resorts and backcountry, hiking, winter camping, kayaking, cooking, gaming, and of course hockey & lacrosse, were all his passions.
He loved history. He loved science. He loved humour. He was active in Scouting for 15 years. He had an eclectic taste in music. He loved being Canadian. William loved combining his interests to really know where he was in the moment. William kept a treasure trove of outdoor equipment to outfit friends who did not have what they needed, to share his love of the outdoors with them. William knew lots about lots of things.
William Beitzel passed away at home on the evening of Thursday, March 24, 2022. He had been under the treatment of a neurologist since November for headaches that were ramping up after he started studying for his degree in Eco Tourism & Leadership in the Department of Phys Ed at MRU. The headaches were believed to be a lingering result of a cycling road accident he had the August before he started grade 12. But he was misdiagnosed; an autopsy was performed and revealed a very soft tumour, the size of a lemon, between his brain and skull. The headaches peaked on Feb 28, his 21st birthday and did not stop until his passing on March 24.
Through all this, William never gave up despite increasingly excruciating pain and several trips to the hospitals and doctor’s office for relief. He maintained A’s in school, worked when he could, tried to keep skiing on our mom/son day, and continued to plan adventures for the future. He wanted to travel the UK again. He wanted to visit the Antarctic.
An investigation continues as we tried all resources for help. The tumour type is unknown and we do not know if it was operable. It will take months to answer the questions. But while waiting and beyond, we hope all of you, like we will be doing, are living a life inspired by our Will aka Beitzel.
A Funeral Service will be held in the Harvest Room at First Alliance Church (12345-40th Street SE) on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 2:00 pm with visitation one hour prior to service. For those who are not able to attend service, you are able to watch the LiveStream here First Alliance Church LiveStream.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Will’s memory to one of his two greatest interests, to either Lake Bonavista Sea Scouts, please specify the 144 Lake Bonavista Sea Scouts for the Scout Group and under the comments, please add “William Beitzel”. Will was a member of Scouts for over 15 years and they were the biggest influencer of his love and respect for the outdoors. He made lifelong friends from around the world. They mentored him in great leadership skills. Alternatively, donations may also be made to Fish Creek. Will grew up in Fish Creek Park. He loved riding his mountain bike there to de-stress or have fun with friends and had recently joined this group as a volunteer with one of his best friends. Please add his name, “William Beitzel” and our email for the certificate (kjsb@telus.net). Both organizations are registered Canadian Charities that will issue tax receipts for you.
To view and share photos, condolences and stories of William, visit www.choicememorial.com. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Choice Memorial Cremation & Funeral Services (403) 277-7343.
February 28th, 2001 - March 24th, 2022
Our beautiful, smart, funny, adrenaline-filled, life-loving son has gone. The mountains were his grounding point; his zen; his peace. He refused to consider any future that was not close or near The Rockies. Downhill riding, mountain biking, skiing the resorts and backcountry, hiking, winter camping, kayaking, cooking, gaming, and of course hockey & lacrosse, were all his passions.
He loved history. He loved science. He loved humour. He was active in Scouting for 15 years. He had an eclectic taste in music. He loved being Canadian. William loved combining his interests to really know where he was in the moment. William kept a treasure trove of outdoor equipment to outfit friends who did not have what they needed, to share his love of the outdoors with them. William knew lots about lots of things.
William Beitzel passed away at home on the evening of Thursday, March 24, 2022. He had been under the treatment of a neurologist since November for headaches that were ramping up after he started studying for his degree in Eco Tourism & Leadership in the Department of Phys Ed at MRU. The headaches were believed to be a lingering result of a cycling road accident he had the August before he started grade 12. But he was misdiagnosed; an autopsy was performed and revealed a very soft tumour, the size of a lemon, between his brain and skull. The headaches peaked on Feb 28, his 21st birthday and did not stop until his passing on March 24.
Through all this, William never gave up despite increasingly excruciating pain and several trips to the hospitals and doctor’s office for relief. He maintained A’s in school, worked when he could, tried to keep skiing on our mom/son day, and continued to plan adventures for the future. He wanted to travel the UK again. He wanted to visit the Antarctic.
An investigation continues as we tried all resources for help. The tumour type is unknown and we do not know if it was operable. It will take months to answer the questions. But while waiting and beyond, we hope all of you, like we will be doing, are living a life inspired by our Will aka Beitzel.
A Funeral Service will be held in the Harvest Room at First Alliance Church (12345-40th Street SE) on Friday, April 8, 2022 at 2:00 pm with visitation one hour prior to service. For those who are not able to attend service, you are able to watch the LiveStream here First Alliance Church LiveStream.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Will’s memory to one of his two greatest interests, to either Lake Bonavista Sea Scouts, please specify the 144 Lake Bonavista Sea Scouts for the Scout Group and under the comments, please add “William Beitzel”. Will was a member of Scouts for over 15 years and they were the biggest influencer of his love and respect for the outdoors. He made lifelong friends from around the world. They mentored him in great leadership skills. Alternatively, donations may also be made to Fish Creek. Will grew up in Fish Creek Park. He loved riding his mountain bike there to de-stress or have fun with friends and had recently joined this group as a volunteer with one of his best friends. Please add his name, “William Beitzel” and our email for the certificate (kjsb@telus.net). Both organizations are registered Canadian Charities that will issue tax receipts for you.
To view and share photos, condolences and stories of William, visit www.choicememorial.com. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Choice Memorial Cremation & Funeral Services (403) 277-7343.